Comadre a Comadre: A One-on-one Peer Support Project for Hispanic Women with Breast Cancer and Their Families

In New Mexico, Hispanas who are diagnosed with breast cancer present with more advanced stage and show poorer survival rates compared to non-Hispana white women. Comadre A Comadre is a bilingual, bi-cultural program developed to address the unique needs of Hispana women living in Bernalillo, Santa Fé, Sandoval, and Valencia counties who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as their family members. Comadre A Comadre serves patients from all medical facilities in these four counties.

The project is a culturally based, one-on-one peer support intervention for Hispanic women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. Through this intervention, the project hopes to improve the psychosocial adjustment of Hispana women with breast cancer by increasing social and practical support, and thereby ultimately improving overall quality-of-life. The project offers free support services, guidance, and information on cancer resources in both English and Spanish through a "supportive friend," the Comadre. Comadres are volunteer Hispana breast cancer survivors who are at least two years post-treatment, and who can share their own personal experience with breast cancer, provide one-on-one emotional support, and offer practical guidance to newly-diagnosed patients. The project also has volunteers who are the loved ones of breast cancer survivors and who can offer support to the families of newly-diagnosed women. Project volunteers receive training in how to offer support and comfort, get more information about breast cancer, share their personal experiences with breast cancer, and provide referrals to community agencies and resources to help with specific problems. In addition, project volunteers receive training in protecting patient confidentiality, use of medical disclaimer and their role as a supportive friend in the medical setting.

ATTENTION STUDENTS! Perspectives in Health Education HED 560 Offered Fall 2006

Time: Monday 4:00-6:30 pm
 August 21-December 16

Call Number: 19743

Questions email: Professor: Elba L. Saavedra, PhD elsaave@unm.edu

Course Overview:

The course will cover these important topic areas:

 The course will rely heavily on student participation and feedback through discussion of selected readings, videos, presentations and speakers.

Comadre A Comadre is funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Principal Investigator: Elba L. Saavedra, PhD For more information about the Comadre A Comadre Project, please call:
202 Central Ave. SE Suite C
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Tel: 505-242-1222
Fax: 505-242-1118

From Comadre to Comadre, by Diana Terry-Azios, article from www.latinastyle.com January/February 2005:
When Teresa* learned that she had breast cancer, she was scared, embarrassed and confused, overwhelmed by the feeling of being alone. She couldn’t even bring herself to talk about it. During a first meeting with a doctor, she covered her face and couldn’t speak through her sobs. [read more]

NM DoH Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program The BCC Program offers FREE MAMMOGRAMS and PAP TESTS!

Proyecto Comadre a Comadre
Vengan a Compartir en el Grupo de Apoyo
Para mujeres Hispanas con cáncer del seno
El segundo y cuarto jueves de cada mes de
6:30-8pm
Come to our Support Group for
Hispanic women with breast cancer
Every second and fourth Thursday of the month from
6:30-8pm
At Holy Family Catholic Church

Need a ride?
Necesita alguien quien le lleva?
Call! ¡Llame! 242-1222
**(Nuevo telefono/ New telephone)

Potluck/Triaga algo para compartir

Strengths Hispano Families Can draw upon When Coping with a Loved One’s Cancer Diagnosis
Elba L. Saavedra, PhD & Estella Martínez, PhD
Although Hispanos are a diverse cultural group, researchers agree that many Hispanics share some common cultural characteristics and values. For example, Hispanic/Latino cultures often place a very strong emphasis on the importance of family or familismo (also referred to as familism). ‘Family’ includes not only immediate family members, but also extended family members and close friends who are considered a part of the family.
When someone in the family is diagnosed with cancer, it is a crisis for the entire family as well as for the patient. Previous research suggests, however, that many culture-specific values such as familismo can help protect against physical and emotional stress by providing a natural support system.
In her work with Hispano cancer patients, Juárez (1998) found that family support is important for physical needs as well as for emotional support. Patients in Juárez’s study reported receiving support (or feeling supported by) from family and friends by cooking together, doing chores together, and being provided companionship by the family. The research participants rated all as equally important. In fact, the predominate strength that Hispanic patients and their families can draw upon is to come together as a family. Drawing upon unity and strength fosters a spirit of cooperation in that the family is coping with diagnosis together with the patient. The patient is not alone in coping with diagnosis.
Spiritually and prayer are also important culture-specific values that patients and their families can draw upon. In previous research, Hispanic cancer patients report the importance of spiritual well being in the form of prayer and reading the bible as a source of strength and personal comfort. While patients may pray by themselves, the family may also pray together as well.
In conclusion, family members may cope with the diagnosis differently. Some family members may prefer to be alone, while others may want to talk with family, friends or someone outside of the family. Most important is that each family member draw upon strengths that are most meaningful to her or him and to gain strength and support in whatever way feels best.

References:
1. Marín G, Marín B. Research with Hispanic Populations. Newbury Park: Sage, 1991.
2. Juárez G, Ferrerll B, et al. Influence of Culture on Pain Management in Hispanic Patients. Ca Practice 1998; 6(5):262-9.
3. Hughes KK. Psychological and Functional Status of Breast Cancer Patients: The Influence of Diagnosis and Treatment Choice. Ca Nursing 1993b:16(3): 222-9.
4. Winer E. Quality of Life Research in Patients with Breast Cancer. Cancer 1994;74: 410-15.
5. Suárez L, Lloyd L, et al. Effect of Social Networks on Cancer-Screening Behavior of Older Mexican-American Women. J NCI 1994;86(10): 775-9.
6. Siminoff LA, Fetting JH. Factors Affecting Treatment Decisions for a Life Threatening Illness: The Case of Medical Treatment of Breast Cancer. Social Sciences and Medicine 1991;32(7): 813-18.
7. Broadhead E. The Epidemiologic Evidence for Relationships Between Social Support and Health. Am J Pub Health 1983;25(6): 345-9.

Caminando Juntos, Cancer Support group